Spanking can be usefully used for more than “attention getting.” In fact, I would say that I had my kids’ attention BEFORE I spanked them.
I used spanking to painfully physically reinforce the lesson I was imparting. I used it rarely, but forcefully. Probably ten times or less on the boy and five times or less on the daughter. Left minor red welts each and every time. Both children are now in their early 30’s, happily married to good spouses of the opposite sex, one is very gainfully employed for a major private university and the other is a career officer in the USAF. They both love their parents and are great kids in every way, and apparently doing a good job of raising their own kids.
Whether spanking did or did not contribute to their success or whether it damaged them, cannot be known at this date.
Oh, Yes. My Dad, too. We learned quickly that life was SO much easier if you just did what he told you to do the minute he told you to do it! ;)
I cannot STAND mouthy or disobedient kids. I watched an Aunt raise three of the most amazing brats you’d ever see. But then, one is now an FBI Agent, and the other two are in the trades. All are married with families and are hard-working taxpayers.
So, who knows? *SHRUG*